Paramount Center

Who doesn’t love the brilliant amber and red lights of the Paramount’s marquee? It puts a glow on Washington Street that was long lost to urban decay until the Paramount Theatre reopened in 2010, signaling the official revitalization of Downtown Crossing. But it took a $92 million renovation project to restore the theater to its Art Deco glory. It originally opened in 1932 as a movie theater, owned by Paramount Pictures, and was an immediate success as the talkies were taking off. Now owned by Emerson College, the Paramount boasts a 596-seat main theater, a small black box theater that seats up to 150, and a 170-seat film screening room. The Paramount has hosted many new, groundbreaking theatrical works and regularly books US premieres.